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Sensor-Equipped Vest Measures Stress


So maybe your stress level isn't sky high just yet, but even after an extended weekend, all it takes is that one email to get you right back where you were last Wednesday. As if you really needed something to tell you that (and if you don't have time to wait for Sweety to become a reality), a host of researchers have created a sensor-laden vest that will be able to inform wearers just how stressed they are.

Developed as part of the EU's CONTEXT project, this sure-to-be-hip vest packs ultra-sensitive electrodes which register changes in muscle tension as individuals get more and more stressed, and in theory, letting someone know what's happening will allow them to simmer down before they further jeopardize their health (and the livelihood of colleagues, if you dig). Eh, we still prefer the Dr. Whippy method, honestly. [Source: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Research News via Talk2MyShirt, thanks Tony]

U.S. Online Gambling Laws Under Investigation by EU

EU Investigating U.S. Online Gambling LawsThe European Union is launching an investigation into whether U.S. online gambling laws violate world-trade rules.

The investigation stems from a 2006 ban on credit cards and banks transferring payments to online gambling sites based overseas. That law effectively locked out all foreign gambling outlets, but left room for home-grown sites to flourish.

Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the Remote Gambling Association, is "delighted" by the EU's investigation. "We cannot simply sit on the sidelines and watch while our members, who are already badly bruised by unlawful U.S. acts, suffer the double whammy of being prosecuted for activities whilst U.S. industry is not," he said.

In 2006 the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that the U.S. could prevent online gambling to protect public order and morals, but that it was breaking trade law by not evenly targeting domestic companies who offer remote betting on horse and dog races.

From USA Today

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Microsoft Fined Additional $1.35 Billion by European Union

Microsoft Fined Additional $1.35 Billion by European UnionBack in 2004, the European Union (EU) wrapped up an investigation of Microsoft's business practices. It concluded that the company was not treating its competitors fairly, preventing them from fully interacting with its Windows operating systems and, indirectly, putting many of those competitors out of business. The EU threw an approximately $1.2-billion dollar fine at Microsoft and that was that. However, years later, the EU isn't exactly happy with Microsoft's progress, and has just fined the company another $1.35-billion for failure to comply.

The combined fines total roughly $2.5-billion, a sum of money large enough to make even Microsoft notice. The new fine stems from Microsoft not taking enough steps to open up its operating systems to competitors. Microsoft did open its systems up and provide information to competitors on how to inter-operate with Windows, but charged high licensing fees that, according to the EU, were unreasonable.

The EU has never had to issue a second fine like this before, and, according to Microsoft, it won't have to again. The company has recently been taking some steps to "open" things up, including publishing documentation about its developer interfaces and exposing the details of its Office format. Is this a true shift for the company or just a diversion to make investigators happy? Time will tell.

From Reuters

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